The elderly professor languishing in an Abu Dhabi jail for taking photos in a restricted area has been convicted and fined and is on his way back home to the U.S.

Architect Dr Alan Black, 70, was jailed for a month and investigated by state security services in the United Arab Emirates despite protesting his innocence and suffering life-threatening health problems.

The professor, an avid amateur photographer, said he had been taking pictures of Abu Dhabi on one of his morning walkabouts while attending a conference in the city.

But on Monday an Abu Dhabi court brought charges of taking photos in a restricted area - a crime which can be punished by up to five years in jail - and fined him $136 before releasing him yesterday.

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Family man: Dr Alan Robert Black with his daughter Jessica and his grandchildren at a baseball match. He has another grandchild on the way as his son Scott's wife is expecting but he was only been able to make two brief phonecalls from the prison where he was being held. He has now finally been released

Photography fan: Dr Robert Alan Black was held without charge and without his family being told for days after taking a picture of a sign banning photography in Abu Dhabi

Banned: This was one of the last pictures Dr Black posted. He captioned it 'walking the streets of Abu Dhabi'. The next day he was arrested for taking a picture in the embassy district

Security officials had held him in Al Wathba prison for a month before his court appearance.

His family and friends only found out he was being held a week after he was thrown into jail on October 21 because a prison translator took pity on him and emailed them.

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Rosemary Rein, his friend and the manager of the campaign to get him home, told MailOnline: 'We are relieved and happy with this news.

'We are pleased to report Dr Black was released and will be making his way him to Athens, Georgia.'

Desert prison: Dr Black was being held in al-Watchba prison, which is in the desert. His family were concerned that he did not have access to proper food and medical attention

Popular: Dr Black at a celebratory dinner at Abdel Wahab Lebanese restaurant to mark the end of the conference. He told other delegates he planned to walk the next day as part of a health drive

Keen photographer: The architect and creative-thinking guru is never seen without a camera around his neck as he documents what he has seen on his travels

HOW THE EMIRATES BAN CAMERAS

According to article 168 of the UAE Penal Code, anyone caught taking pictures of palaces, embassies and security facilities can be sentenced to up to five years in jail and receive a hefty fine.

Three years ago, an Iranian tourist was sentenced to a month behind bars for taking photos of the presidential palace - after languishing in jail for three months before the verdict.

And an Indian man was fined nearly $300 for photographing planes taking off from Abu Dhabi airport.

Chief Justice Shehab al Hammadi of the State Security Court said at the time that ignorance of the law was no defense.

An Emirati court last year sentenced eight people, including an American, to up to a year in prison for their role in producing a satirical video about youth culture in Dubai that prosecutors said defamed the country's image.

The American, Shezanne Cassim, was released within weeks of the verdict, after having already serving nine months behind bars.

The international community was concerned about our dear friend and colleague and we are glad the matter has been resolved.

'We are grateful to the court for its wisdom and compassion.'

Dr Black is on a flight back to Atlanta, where he will make his way home to Athens.

Although Dr Black's family have not gone into details of his conviction, a fine in a UAE court usually means a criminal record for the defendant.

It can also carry immediate deportation and a travel ban on entering the UAE again for a strict time limit, although it is not clear in this case if one has been imposed.

His distraught daughter Jessica Beasley and son Scott Black - who is expecting his first child - are waiting to spend time with him before he reveals details of his captivity.

His children said they were worried about his health as he languished in prison.

He suffers from diabetes, cholesterol and high blood pressure.

Dr Black has already suffered a double tragedy in his life after his eldest son Jeff was killed by a drunk driver in 1988 and his wife of 20 years, Merry, fell sick and died a decade later.

Friends and family rallied to raise $12,000 in just 24 hours to pay for a lawyer in the UAE after learning of his imprisonment.

The legal whizz, who has not been named, successfully managed to persuade the court not to give Dr Black a more hefty penalty.

Concerned: Dr Black's son Scott, who lives in Florida with his wife - who is expecting Dr Black's third grandchild says his father is an experienced traveller and respects local cultures

Creative thinker: Dr Black photographed at the conference. He lectures in how to encourage creativity after initially training as an architect

The professor, who has a degree in architecture, three masters and a doctorate in educational psychology from the University of Georgia, was rarely without a camera around his neck.

He had only been in the UAE for two days when he was arrested.

Detroit-born Dr Black landed at 6.30am on October 19 - exactly a month ago - and checked into the Novotel hotel in Abu Dhabi, where he was an invited speaker at a Creative Thinkers conference.

The hotel is a few streets from the restricted embassies' quarter, where security is tight and photography is banned.

Dr Black, who was used to spending several hours every morning walking and taking pictures wherever he was, was said to have taken a picture of one of the 'no photography' signs.

His friend and conference organiser Mahmoud Arafa said: 'I believe he wanted to post this picture [of the sign] on Facebook because there is nothing like this in the US.

'Photography is his passion. He is always glued to his camera and takes pictures everywhere.'

Pictured: Abu Dhabi and its corniche are widely photographed but the country, a close ally of the United States, bans photography is many areas and imposes heft penalties for breaches of its laws